Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

 Switch
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 33 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 33
  3. Negative: 4 out of 33

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  1. Phuz
    Nov 3, 2020
    10
    As usual my reviews are based on cost to enjoyment ratio. I can't understand the 3/10 score here due to a few graphical elements that haven't come over in the port. I played this on PS4 originally and didn't even notice a difference.

    So anyway the game is a short puzzle game, around 4 - 5 hours. It plays via a split control ststem. 1 joystick and shoulder button for one brother and 1    As usual my reviews are based on cost to enjoyment ratio. I can't understand the 3/10 score here due to a few graphical elements that haven't come over in the port. I played this on PS4 originally and didn't even notice a difference.

    So anyway the game is a short puzzle game, around 4 - 5 hours. It plays via a split control ststem. 1 joystick and shoulder button for one brother and 1 joystick and shoulder button for the other. This makes for some funny brain frying moments when the brothers swap sides on the screen and it is a great mechanic. I don't know if a game has been done this way before but it was new to me and fun.

    The game is foreign language but there is virtually no dialogue and it plays out a beautiful story. The graphics and sound are very fitting for the game and the world varies a lot in design from stage, to stage and some fun little means of transport are occasionally thrown in.

    The gameplay, story, sound and graphics fit together perfectly. I always find that games that feel whole like this are often the most immersive and therefore most enjoyable. I found Y's Origin to be amazing for this harmony of game elements too.

    It's hard to describe a game like this but when I finish it, it feels like I have just sat through one of my favourite films. You will be constantly active in gameplay, it's not a visual novel but it just leaves that feeling of a completed story.

    The puzzles are simple, you might have to ponder them for a minute, or two at times but they are simple and if they were challenging it would slow down the adventure too much and that's what this game is - an adventure.

    A lovely short game that you won't regret buying. One of the few games I have replayed and no doubt I will play it again in a couple of years.

    Despite its short length, Brothers remains one of my favourite game experiences and I consider it a masterpiece. It could be likened to Journey and Flower but I found those two boring and thought Brothers was miles better than them. I have had many, many AAA titles over the years that have not given me a fraction of the enjoyment that Brothers has.    … Expand
  2. Wybort
    Jul 24, 2019
    3
    I bought this for my Switch because I remembered it fondly from my days on the Xbox 360, boy was that a mistake. After just the opening scene I couldn’t take how horrible the graphics looked. I thought to myself “well maybe they were just as bad on the 360 and playing in 1080p for so long has jaded me” so after a lengthy ordeal of finding, hooking up and signing in on, my old Xbox I bootedI bought this for my Switch because I remembered it fondly from my days on the Xbox 360, boy was that a mistake. After just the opening scene I couldn’t take how horrible the graphics looked. I thought to myself “well maybe they were just as bad on the 360 and playing in 1080p for so long has jaded me” so after a lengthy ordeal of finding, hooking up and signing in on, my old Xbox I booted the game up and admittedly the graphics weren’t the best, but they were NOWHERE near as horrible as they are on the switch. This is one of the worse ports Ives ever seen for a game . It removed lighting effects, shrubbery, physics from the character models hair. Sure it runs smoother and the anti-aliousing is better but at what cost? I seriously don’t recommend getting this game. It is laughably awful looking… Expand
  3. RudigerTech
    Jun 12, 2019
    10
    A lovely game, and the Switch port is quite lovely. The mechanics of the game is easy to learn. The atmosphere is very fitting into the setting. Definately worthy.
  4. Chain_Affinity
    May 25, 2020
    10
    Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is such a beautiful and magical tapestry of story weaving. The minimalistic design told through imagery, ambiance and music come together to create a gem of an experience. Simply a masterpiece.
  5. Noow_Waat
    Nov 27, 2019
    10
    Best Indie I've ever played, hands down. I played for 8 straight hours until I beat it. I hope that more companies get opportunities to make titles like this one in the future. Worth every penny!!!!!
  6. Vlad013
    Jan 25, 2022
    8
    Considering I paid 4 Euro for the game it was worth it. Nice story and good mechanics. It was nice to play in with my wife.
  7. LaserCabbage
    Apr 11, 2020
    9
    Just finished the game. Not bad, not bad at all! Ran very smoothly on my Switch docked and undocked. Controlling two characters at the same time took a little getting used to but it didn't take long to do so. Challenges/puzzles weren't super hard. However sometimes it felt like the control scheme made the puzzles more difficult than they had to be, but this was pretty uncommon. GraphicsJust finished the game. Not bad, not bad at all! Ran very smoothly on my Switch docked and undocked. Controlling two characters at the same time took a little getting used to but it didn't take long to do so. Challenges/puzzles weren't super hard. However sometimes it felt like the control scheme made the puzzles more difficult than they had to be, but this was pretty uncommon. Graphics certainly weren't state of the art but were still appealing. Overall a relaxing experience, at least until that ending... yeezus. That story got pretty dark at times.

    TLDR: Great game. No regrets here!    … Expand
  8. Daisuk
    Jan 9, 2021
    7
    The beginning of the game is rather bland and boring, and that part goes on for a good while - it's not particularly challenging, but it's interesting enough to keep progressing. But then as you get deeper into it, it gets stranger and stranger, culminating in a rather bizarre scene towards the end - which made it all worth it. The main control mechanic, of controlling both brothers at theThe beginning of the game is rather bland and boring, and that part goes on for a good while - it's not particularly challenging, but it's interesting enough to keep progressing. But then as you get deeper into it, it gets stranger and stranger, culminating in a rather bizarre scene towards the end - which made it all worth it. The main control mechanic, of controlling both brothers at the same time, is also worth mentioning. The graphics aren't exactly top notch, but there's still a lot of love put into the world creation here, and I wouldn't be surprised if this got a remaster of some sort at some point. Overall a game definitely worth playing, it's quite original - but it's also definitely not the epic adventure some reviewers will have you believe, in my opinion.… Expand
  9. Jason_Klaw
    Sep 5, 2021
    9
    I wish they made more games like this, instead of the same, dull, non-stop side scrolling indies, EVERYONE makes these days. This was so enjoyable, and gets pretty dark at times. I loved it. Problem/puzzle solving wasn't too bad at all, a couple tricky areas.
    The soundtrack was beautiful, the graphics look and play great. Such a fun game.
  10. JAG7
    Apr 15, 2022
    9
    Great story! Controls are a little bit clonky but doesn’t ruins anything. Great game! Visuals and music are beautiful! Very heartwarming tale! Love what the devs did! There’s is love put on this project! Works good solo but works better on coop . Recommended.
  11. Bandom
    Feb 16, 2022
    8
    Had a great time completing this with my 8yrs old nephew. I heard that Single player is very unique experience. Also did not like the end, because it was very simple and you had just press the buttons, nothing to think about, It seems like someone made the end by a hurry, Either it needed to be a longer scene or a different gameplay

Awards & Rankings

85
#85 Best Switch Game of 2019
91
#91 Most Shared Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. Cubed3
    Dec 16, 2019
    70
    Whilst the concept of controlling two different characters simultaneously differentiates Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons from other titles, beyond this it can be somewhat simplistic. However, it is certainly well-crafted, creating a pleasant and laid back journey, with many touching moments. Graphics, sound, and style of gameplay also come together harmoniously, in a way that suggests a lot of effort has been put into building the general vibe of the world. It's certainly not a game for those that love fast-paced action, but for anyone wanting to take the time to appreciate the world around them, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a good choice.
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  2. GameCritics
    Jul 22, 2019
    75
    Despite the glitches, the addition of true, two-player co-op makes it a fantastic adventure to share. I found Brothers to be a hidden gem when it was first released, and that still holds true today.
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  3. God is a Geek
    Jul 1, 2019
    80
    If you haven’t played Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons before, this is definitely the version to get since it has an all new proper co-op mode including single Joy-Con support for you to be able to experience this short story on the go with a ready to go co-op setup. If you’ve already played the game, there isn’t much value in getting it again since the main draw is the puzzles and experiencing them for the first time.
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